grandpaul
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Where did you find yours...
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grandpaul
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Good news and bad news...
Good news - I found the problem.
Bad news - the Left intake valve guide had half it's nose broken off and the piston chewed on the pieces for a while.
New guides ordered, now to dress the piston top and combustion chamber to see if I can clean it up enough to keep it from causing pre-ignition. Also need to pull BOTH valves and inspect seats & valve faces...
Oh, yeah, more GOOD news: It happened HERE, and not long distance; so, the repair will be at my cost for parts only.
I don't think I have ever told the story about how I came to have the Seeley Commando 850.
Back in about 1973, I was racing my 500cc short stroke Triton fairly regularly in Allpowers C grade races at open meetings. There was a mate of mine who also raced a Triton, but a 650. It was very fast, but I could usually get past him on the tighter parts of the circuit. I had not ridden for about 6 months at one stage, so I was out of practice. My friend borrowed another friend's Seeley Laverda 750 which had SFC cam but a two into one exhaust system which was too restrictive. I was in a race at Winton against him and blew him off down the back straight with the 500cc Triton. As I braked for the corner in front r the drum brake came on too hard. He got around me easily. The Seeley had a single disc on the front, and he grabbed a handful of it in front of me. I locked the drum and went down the road on the top of my head. I dislocated my collar bone - could have easily been my neck. The Seeley Laverda 750 got sold to another guy who pulled it apart to make it go faster.
I followed the bike around for a couple of years, then tried to buy it. But I could not get the motor. I paid about $150 for the rolling chassis which had Ceriani forks. I bought a Norton gearbox for about $300 and an 850cc Mk2A motor for about $1300.
I cut a set of engine plates out of alunimium by hand, drilled a few holes, fitted a few bolts and I had a Seeley Commando 850 racer in 1979.. I did not race it for 20 tears because I never believed in it. But when I got around to it, I found it to be unbelievably excellent - It is the most easy ride ever and very fast. Compare with what was inside my 500cc Triumph motor, what is in the Norton 850 motor is very ugly. The Triton was fast enough, but I did not want to die. It badly needed 6 speeds
Back in about 1973, I was racing my 500cc short stroke Triton fairly regularly in Allpowers C grade races at open meetings. There was a mate of mine who also raced a Triton, but a 650. It was very fast, but I could usually get past him on the tighter parts of the circuit. I had not ridden for about 6 months at one stage, so I was out of practice. My friend borrowed another friend's Seeley Laverda 750 which had SFC cam but a two into one exhaust system which was too restrictive. I was in a race at Winton against him and blew him off down the back straight with the 500cc Triton. As I braked for the corner in front r the drum brake came on too hard. He got around me easily. The Seeley had a single disc on the front, and he grabbed a handful of it in front of me. I locked the drum and went down the road on the top of my head. I dislocated my collar bone - could have easily been my neck. The Seeley Laverda 750 got sold to another guy who pulled it apart to make it go faster.
I followed the bike around for a couple of years, then tried to buy it. But I could not get the motor. I paid about $150 for the rolling chassis which had Ceriani forks. I bought a Norton gearbox for about $300 and an 850cc Mk2A motor for about $1300.
I cut a set of engine plates out of alunimium by hand, drilled a few holes, fitted a few bolts and I had a Seeley Commando 850 racer in 1979.. I did not race it for 20 tears because I never believed in it. But when I got around to it, I found it to be unbelievably excellent - It is the most easy ride ever and very fast. Compare with what was inside my 500cc Triumph motor, what is in the Norton 850 motor is very ugly. The Triton was fast enough, but I did not want to die. It badly needed 6 speeds
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I Inherited mine, unfortunately..... and far, far too soon too
My dad Bought a 1972 Commando 750 when I was 8-10ish, I am 32 now - Cause Mum had enough of the "boney F*ckin BSA" he had at the time
He doted over it (jokingly saying if there was a house fire, he would wake up mum so she could get us while he grabbed the bike) took it to shows, won a couple of awards, and went on rallies with Mum until 2006 when a shoulder injury pretty much stopped him from riding it ever again, registration went on hold, for the last time, and it went under the covers in a corner of the shed
It came out into daylight for a single day when we went to move it to their new house a few years ago, but it just went back into storage, I would poke him every now and then to see if he wanted to fire it up, give it a run, and I would help him, but that did not get far, he said we would, when he felt better, well, he never did get better I am afraid to say, And passed away about a year ago
His shed and cave basically became a dormant area, it was too hard to go there let alone do anything there, but this year Mum and Myself started to tidy up the place, get the genuine rubbish out, and organize the tools and equipment of his to make some space and make it a nice place to remember him still
And In the corner was that pair of handlebars under a bed sheet, I asked mum if she could give me a hand to move it and clean under it, and she cheekily said "nah stuff that, that's your bike now, he put it in the will for you, you realize?"
I had not even considered that, I had always known it as "his bike" "dads bike" - and that blew me away to tears on the spot, but at the same time, I knew right then and there, I had to get that bike going again, and do it for him! It was partially in pieces, mainly to make it easy to store
So I dragged it out into the fresh garage space we had, spend this entire last weekend wrenching on it, putting everything back on it again, until it was just the seat and side covers left to go on, pumped up the tyres that actually look pretty OK for the age, not perished at all and the tubes still held air!
He had drained all the fluids, fuel, oils, etc., and battery was long gone, so I figured out all I needed for that, plus a pair of Sparkplugs, topped everything off, turned on the fuel taps, made sure the carbs had fuel, ignition on, and gave it a kick.....
And the bloody thing fired up! it kicked and lurched and backfired with a puff of smoke out the pipes for half a second and roared into life! Mum heard the thing fire up too, and could just hear me cackling like a madman over it as I gave it a few revs and checked the oil tank was circulating
A few more tears were shed then for sure, such an emotional feeling hearing that engine make noise again, still gets me to this day
Today was a return where I gave it a bit of a sponge bath, of course It had leaked *around* the drip tray I put down
So now it is sitting under fresh and clean covers, and waiting for a few weeks until I can get it in for a warrant of Fitness check, and get a few things sorted on it at the same time, and then when its road legal again, I'll take it to go visit the old man and show him his bike running again
My dad Bought a 1972 Commando 750 when I was 8-10ish, I am 32 now - Cause Mum had enough of the "boney F*ckin BSA" he had at the time
He doted over it (jokingly saying if there was a house fire, he would wake up mum so she could get us while he grabbed the bike) took it to shows, won a couple of awards, and went on rallies with Mum until 2006 when a shoulder injury pretty much stopped him from riding it ever again, registration went on hold, for the last time, and it went under the covers in a corner of the shed
It came out into daylight for a single day when we went to move it to their new house a few years ago, but it just went back into storage, I would poke him every now and then to see if he wanted to fire it up, give it a run, and I would help him, but that did not get far, he said we would, when he felt better, well, he never did get better I am afraid to say, And passed away about a year ago
His shed and cave basically became a dormant area, it was too hard to go there let alone do anything there, but this year Mum and Myself started to tidy up the place, get the genuine rubbish out, and organize the tools and equipment of his to make some space and make it a nice place to remember him still
And In the corner was that pair of handlebars under a bed sheet, I asked mum if she could give me a hand to move it and clean under it, and she cheekily said "nah stuff that, that's your bike now, he put it in the will for you, you realize?"
I had not even considered that, I had always known it as "his bike" "dads bike" - and that blew me away to tears on the spot, but at the same time, I knew right then and there, I had to get that bike going again, and do it for him! It was partially in pieces, mainly to make it easy to store
So I dragged it out into the fresh garage space we had, spend this entire last weekend wrenching on it, putting everything back on it again, until it was just the seat and side covers left to go on, pumped up the tyres that actually look pretty OK for the age, not perished at all and the tubes still held air!
He had drained all the fluids, fuel, oils, etc., and battery was long gone, so I figured out all I needed for that, plus a pair of Sparkplugs, topped everything off, turned on the fuel taps, made sure the carbs had fuel, ignition on, and gave it a kick.....
And the bloody thing fired up! it kicked and lurched and backfired with a puff of smoke out the pipes for half a second and roared into life! Mum heard the thing fire up too, and could just hear me cackling like a madman over it as I gave it a few revs and checked the oil tank was circulating
A few more tears were shed then for sure, such an emotional feeling hearing that engine make noise again, still gets me to this day
Today was a return where I gave it a bit of a sponge bath, of course It had leaked *around* the drip tray I put down
So now it is sitting under fresh and clean covers, and waiting for a few weeks until I can get it in for a warrant of Fitness check, and get a few things sorted on it at the same time, and then when its road legal again, I'll take it to go visit the old man and show him his bike running again
Fast Eddie
VIP MEMBER
A wonderful story and a lovely looking bike.I Inherited mine, unfortunately..... and far, far too soon too
My dad Bought a 1972 Commando 750 when I was 8-10ish, I am 32 now - Cause Mum had enough of the "boney F*ckin BSA" he had at the time
He doted over it (jokingly saying if there was a house fire, he would wake up mum so she could get us while he grabbed the bike) took it to shows, won a couple of awards, and went on rallies with Mum until 2006 when a shoulder injury pretty much stopped him from riding it ever again, registration went on hold, for the last time, and it went under the covers in a corner of the shed
It came out into daylight for a single day when we went to move it to their new house a few years ago, but it just went back into storage, I would poke him every now and then to see if he wanted to fire it up, give it a run, and I would help him, but that did not get far, he said we would, when he felt better, well, he never did get better I am afraid to say, And passed away about a year ago
His shed and cave basically became a dormant area, it was too hard to go there let alone do anything there, but this year Mum and Myself started to tidy up the place, get the genuine rubbish out, and organize the tools and equipment of his to make some space and make it a nice place to remember him still
And In the corner was that pair of handlebars under a bed sheet, I asked mum if she could give me a hand to move it and clean under it, and she cheekily said "nah stuff that, that's your bike now, he put it in the will for you, you realize?"
I had not even considered that, I had always known it as "his bike" "dads bike" - and that blew me away to tears on the spot, but at the same time, I knew right then and there, I had to get that bike going again, and do it for him! It was partially in pieces, mainly to make it easy to store
So I dragged it out into the fresh garage space we had, spend this entire last weekend wrenching on it, putting everything back on it again, until it was just the seat and side covers left to go on, pumped up the tyres that actually look pretty OK for the age, not perished at all and the tubes still held air!
He had drained all the fluids, fuel, oils, etc., and battery was long gone, so I figured out all I needed for that, plus a pair of Sparkplugs, topped everything off, turned on the fuel taps, made sure the carbs had fuel, ignition on, and gave it a kick.....
And the bloody thing fired up! it kicked and lurched and backfired with a puff of smoke out the pipes for half a second and roared into life! Mum heard the thing fire up too, and could just hear me cackling like a madman over it as I gave it a few revs and checked the oil tank was circulating
A few more tears were shed then for sure, such an emotional feeling hearing that engine make noise again, still gets me to this day
Today was a return where I gave it a bit of a sponge bath, of course It had leaked *around* the drip tray I put down
So now it is sitting under fresh and clean covers, and waiting for a few weeks until I can get it in for a warrant of Fitness check, and get a few things sorted on it at the same time, and then when its road legal again, I'll take it to go visit the old man and show him his bike running again
You’ll have a connection with your Dad every time you ride, wrench, clean or just look at it.
Enjoy.
grandpaul
VIP MEMBER
Condolences on your Dad's passing...
I envy you and all the rest whose fathers (and mothers) rode, especially WITH you! My parents hated (literally) motorcycles and never would so much as go NEAR me when I was on one.
Hortons Norton
VIP MEMBER
What head is that? How did the guide break? Looks to me that the edge of the valve was hitting something.
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grandpaul
VIP MEMBER
It's an RH4.
Yes, I'm sure the edges of the valves his some pieces of guide, I still haven't found my spring compressor to get the head apart...
Hortons Norton
VIP MEMBER
I was thinking the valve hit something to cause the guide to come apart??
Cheers mate
- Yeah this is exactly it, everything I do with it brings back some memory of him doing something similar, or its a realization "ohhhh, thats why he did That"There are a couple of "temporary fixes to get it going" that became permanent solutions that are now failing again, I know those sorts all to well, but Now I can spend a bit of time to fix those problems correctly
Thanks
it was too soon, but again, nothing could be done unfortunatelyBut yeah, we all grew up on a farm so bikes were a big part of life, 2 stroke trail bikes and the bigger quad bikes for farm work were in use daily, the BSA and Norton were the holiday bikes though
I don't think mum cares much for bikes too much, but enjoyed the rides, if only to spend more time with dad on the trips, she never rode on her own, always a pillion hehe
But she was all joy and smiles seeing the black and gold thumper potter up and down the driveway once I got it going again
ashman
VIP MEMBER
I am sure your dad will be riding with you every time you take it out.Cheers mate
There are a couple of "temporary fixes to get it going" that became permanent solutions that are now failing again, I know those sorts all to well, but Now I can spend a bit of time to fix those problems correctly
Thanks
But yeah, we all grew up on a farm so bikes were a big part of life, 2 stroke trail bikes and the bigger quad bikes for farm work were in use daily, the BSA and Norton were the holiday bikes though
I don't think mum cares much for bikes too much, but enjoyed the rides, if only to spend more time with dad on the trips, she never rode on her own, always a pillion hehe
But she was all joy and smiles seeing the black and gold thumper potter up and down the driveway once I got it going again
ashman
VIP MEMBER
When 17 years old my mate swapped his 750 Commando/Featherbed for my Honda TL250 trials bike for the day, I was so impressed that 2 weeks later I was up at Morgan and Whackers the main dealers for Harley/Triumph/Norton and BMW in my city of Brisbane that was in 1976 and in way back of the show room was the last new 74 850 sitting all alone, all the new 75 Norton's and Triumph's and BMW's were all in front and I put a deposit straight down on the 74, full price on the road was $1,999 the M111s were $2,450 on the road and only erning less than $70 a week it was a no brainer to buy the 74 Roadster with the kick start, I was only a skinny young lad at the time, I didn't tell anyone that I brought a new Norton and only knew about it when my mates drove me to the dealer on a Saturday morning to pick it up, and they didn't know even when we pulled up there.
There was no free parking space out front but I jumped out while they parked and at the front door was my new Norton sitting there waiting for me, the place was packed with die hard bikers getting parts and when the salesman was going over the Norton with me then gave me the keys everyone in the shop were all eyes on this skinny kid take ownership of his new Norton and they were all surprised when I kicked it to life on the first kick and my mates their jaws had dropped, before they even said anything I had the bike out the door and on my merry way.
Just around the corner from the dealers a council bus stopped in front of me and before I knew it I had hit the gear lever instead of the rear brake but was able to swuive to miss it rear end, after riding jap dirt bikes for a few years the right hand gear change stuffed me up 200 yards up the road, I can tell you it was the only time it stuffed me up after that, nearly crapped my pants it was so close.
Well that was over 45 years ago now still own the Norton but it was built into the Featherbed frame in 1980 and my mate who drove me up there was killed in a bike accident 30 years ago but the other mates that were in the car that day are still around and they still talk about it when we run into each other, and I still ride with the same smile on my face from the first day I picked it up to this day.
Ashley
There was no free parking space out front but I jumped out while they parked and at the front door was my new Norton sitting there waiting for me, the place was packed with die hard bikers getting parts and when the salesman was going over the Norton with me then gave me the keys everyone in the shop were all eyes on this skinny kid take ownership of his new Norton and they were all surprised when I kicked it to life on the first kick and my mates their jaws had dropped, before they even said anything I had the bike out the door and on my merry way.
Just around the corner from the dealers a council bus stopped in front of me and before I knew it I had hit the gear lever instead of the rear brake but was able to swuive to miss it rear end, after riding jap dirt bikes for a few years the right hand gear change stuffed me up 200 yards up the road, I can tell you it was the only time it stuffed me up after that, nearly crapped my pants it was so close.
Well that was over 45 years ago now still own the Norton but it was built into the Featherbed frame in 1980 and my mate who drove me up there was killed in a bike accident 30 years ago but the other mates that were in the car that day are still around and they still talk about it when we run into each other, and I still ride with the same smile on my face from the first day I picked it up to this day.
Ashley
grandpaul
VIP MEMBER
My first left-foot-shift experience was on a Bultaco Metralla cafe racer in 1972. The owner was a friend, we used to all ride dirt bikes together, this was his first road bike.
We were at the all-brands dealer where we all hung out, there was a deli next door with a big parking lot that went all the way around the building which was on a corner. So, he explains the foot controls and I'm SURE I've got it all down, then I take off "a bit" briskly toward the back corner of the parking lot, intending to loop around to the left to get onto the road. OF COURSE I hit the shifter instead of the brake, then I hit BOTH pedals, but it was too late!
The front wheel nosed under the bottom edge of the neighboring property's fence, and about a foot down to it's lower level; nothing was hurt and the bike was still upright, but my right leg also slipped under the fence. By this time I had the presence of mind to hit the kill button; that was when I heard the BIG dog with all kinds of teeth headed straight for my foot! Down went the bike (no damage) and out came my foot, but only BARELY missing a big bite!
Never again. Although, my first time on a Commando, I took off in 2nd and promptly upshifted to 1st, slowing my previous "brisk" take-off. Never again for THAT, either...
FWIW: I seized a piston in my Atlas 50K miles ago, and my left combustion chamber looked like your piston. I dressed up the head and have run it that way with no hint of pre ignition, with proper fuel and throttle use.
Slick
Craig
VIP MEMBER
MacNZ .... terrific story, though bittersweet eh, good on following through and enjoying what your Dad obviously put away for you ! lost my Dad back in Aug.1994 , Doc
s did what they could , was a long drive home that day ... you are very fortunate to have been left such a happy symbol of your Dad ! Enjoy every ride .....
s did what they could , was a long drive home that day ... you are very fortunate to have been left such a happy symbol of your Dad ! Enjoy every ride .....
Steve Highfield
VIP MEMBER
My Addiction started when i was a wee lad but i did not purchase my Norton Atlas until a few years ago..
I used to work in a british bike shop for ten years. I worked on them quite often.
My bikes have been all Triumphs, BSAs and Harleys but i always wanted a Norton. A few years ago i took a road trip to another province to pic up a truck load of Arial, Royal Enfield, Triumph Parts... The old fella was getting out of the business. Mind you he still had three Concourse bikes in the basement which he claimed were worth 25 grand each.. A Gold Star, AJS and a (i forget).
As we loaded everything in the back of the truck i noticed a bike in the Lcove of the garage. It was a Norton Atlas that he was restoring and lost interest in. Of course i said "How Much" He said it wasn't for sale as he promised it to his friend.
It was sitting and Dusty for awhile so i knew the friend lost interest also. I said "OH what was the friend price" He told me and it was reasonable. I immediately ask him to call his friend and see if he still wanted it. And Guess What!!!! He didn't!
It was a sunday so i said i will be back in the morning with a rental trailer. So i grabbed a motel for the night.
When i was coming back to the boarder of Nova Scotia i went though a police check point and the cop gave me shit for another classic bike being taken from his province. I Laughed at him but he wasn't joking
Since then i have been back to that province three time to buy triumphs
I used to work in a british bike shop for ten years. I worked on them quite often.
My bikes have been all Triumphs, BSAs and Harleys but i always wanted a Norton. A few years ago i took a road trip to another province to pic up a truck load of Arial, Royal Enfield, Triumph Parts... The old fella was getting out of the business. Mind you he still had three Concourse bikes in the basement which he claimed were worth 25 grand each.. A Gold Star, AJS and a (i forget).
As we loaded everything in the back of the truck i noticed a bike in the Lcove of the garage. It was a Norton Atlas that he was restoring and lost interest in. Of course i said "How Much" He said it wasn't for sale as he promised it to his friend.
It was sitting and Dusty for awhile so i knew the friend lost interest also. I said "OH what was the friend price" He told me and it was reasonable. I immediately ask him to call his friend and see if he still wanted it. And Guess What!!!! He didn't!
It was a sunday so i said i will be back in the morning with a rental trailer. So i grabbed a motel for the night.
When i was coming back to the boarder of Nova Scotia i went though a police check point and the cop gave me shit for another classic bike being taken from his province. I Laughed at him but he wasn't joking
Since then i have been back to that province three time to buy triumphs
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grandpaul
VIP MEMBER
This reply is useless without at least a photo or three...
Steve Highfield
VIP MEMBER
I'm signing up for IMGUR as i type this
